Multiple switch.



No. 799,721. PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905. H. H. CUTLER.

MULTIPLE SWITCH.

nruonrox rnmn MAB. 24. 1905.

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N0. 799,721. PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905. H. H. CUTLER.

MULTIPLE SWITCH.

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AIMEW. a. with. co. PWYO-UTMUGRAMI! msmcvcu u c PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

H. H. CUTLER. MULTIPLE SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1905.

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PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

- H. H.. CUTLER.

MULTIPLE .SWITGH.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 24. 1905.

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397W jcwen' modification shown in Fig. 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY H. CUTLER, OF MILWAUKEE, IVISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAMMERMFG. 00., OF MILWAUKEE, IVISCONSIN, A CORPO- RATION or WISCONSIN.

MULTIPLE SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905,

Application filed March 24,1905. Serial No. 251,729.

To (ti Z who/7i, it may concern:

Be itknown thatI, HENRY H. CUTLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in MultipleSwitches, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exactdescription, reference being h ad to the accompanying drawings, formingapart of this specification.

My invention relates to a multiple switch, and more particularly to amultiple switch designed for use in connection with rheostats.

It has been proposed heretofore to associate the resistance of arheostat with a plurality of switches, whereby the switches may beclosed one at a time and in a definite order to cut out the resistanceof the rheostat. present invention is particularly designed foremployment in connection with rheostats having this characteristic; andone of the objects of the present invention is to provide a meanswhereby the operator is compelled to close all of the switches of therheostat when starting a motor and prevent the leaving of any of thestarting resistance in circuit, whereby they might become overheated anddestroyed.

In accordance with the present invention I arrange the multiple switchesso that the same can be closed only in a definite order, and,furthermore, I provide a means whereby the switches are adapted to bemaintained in a closed position and automatically opened at the desiredtime. I further provide a means whereby before the switches will beretained in their closed position it is necessary that every one of theswitches be closed.

I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention which I have worked out for practical operation; but it willbe understood that my invention is susceptible of various modifications.

In the drawings illustrating the embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 isa view of the switchof my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig.3 is a view of a modification of my invention. Fig. 1 is a sideelevation thereof. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the Fig. 6 is a detail viewof the latch mechanism for holding the levers in the closed position.Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the swinging dogs employed. Fig. 8 1sa detail view of the retain- The ing-magnet of my invention. tail of mymeans for causing the first switcharm to be locked in the constructionshown in Fig. 3. Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the circuitarrangement of the construction shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 11 is adiagrammatic View of the circuit arrangement of the construction shownin Fig. 1.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the switch levers or arms 1to 6, respectively, are suitably pivoted or journaled at one end and areprovided at the opposite end with suitable handles. Ihave shown theseveral switch-levers as journaled upon a shaft or rod 7, mounted inbearings upon the brackets 8. The brackets 8 also support a rod 9, whichis threaded through the rubber tube 10, which serves as a cushion orbuffer, against which the extended ends of the switch arms or levers areadapted to impinge when thrown open. Each of the levers carries acontact device 11, made in the usual form from a number of strips ofcopper, laid face to face, the free ends being adapted to engage thecontact-surfaces to complete the circuit therethrough. Upon thebase-board 12 is mounted a contact-bar 13, with which one end of thecontact device 11 of each arm or lever is adapted to engage, the otherend of said device being adapted to engage one of the contact-terminals14 to 19, respectively, of the rheostat. Upon the terminal 14 isprovided a binding-post 20, which is connected with one side of thesupply-circuit, and upon the terminal 19 is provided a binding-post 21,which is suitably connected through the armature of the motor to theopposite side of the supply-circuit.

Near the upper end of the switch-arm a lug 22 is provided, which carriesa laterallyextending rod 23, which may take the form of a screw. Mountedupon the base-board above the arm 1 is a retaining-magnet 24:, having anarmature 25 pivoted, as at 26. (Shown more particularly in Fig. 8.) Thearmature 25 carries a laterally and upwardly extending lug 27, and whenthe arm 1 ismoved to close the circuit the rod 23 engages the side ofthe armature 25 to move the same against the magnet-pole, and themagnetism of the magnet 24 retains the armature in this position. Theswinging of the armature carries the lug 27 upon the exterior of the rod23, so that Fig. 9 is a dedog.

"the circuit presents a vertical surface. upper part of the part 41 isinclined or chamthe same will rest in the slot formed between thelug 27and the face of the armature 25. So long as the magnet 24 remainsenergized the arm 1 will be held in the closed position. hen, however,the magnet 24 is deenergized, the armature will be released and theweight of the arm 1 will carry the same to a position wherein thecontact device 11 will break contact between the bar 1 and the terminal14 and rock the armature 25 upon its pivot until it assumes the positionshown in Fig. 8.

Mounted upon a rod or shaft 28, supported in suitable bearings upon thebase-plgte 12, are the rocking dogs 29 to 33. Each of these dogs has itsrear so shaped as to engage the baseplate 12 and limit the downwardmovement of the dog when free, as shown more particularly in Fig. 6.Upon the end of the dog to the righthand side is an upwardly-extendinglip 34, which has its front edge curved and its rear edge perpendicularto the upper surface of the The under side of the dog has a lipextending throughout its whole length, which lip is rounded off at theleft-hand edge. The levers 2 to 6, inclusive, are provided with a latch38, pivoted to the arm or lever at 37 and set in a slot 38 in saidlever. The first lever upon the left has no latch. The wall of the slot38 limits the vertical movement of the latch relatively to the arm.Below the latch and formed integrally with the lever is a lug 39,projecting toward the base-plate and consisting of two parts 40 and 41.The part 40 is square in section and flat upon the head and when thelever is in a position to close The fered at an acute angle, asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The last lever 6 carries anupwardly-projecting arm 42, which has a contact-point 43, adapted toengage the contactbutton 44, mounted upon the base-plate 12. In thediagrammatic View of the circuit employed in this construction, asillustrated in Fig. 11, it will be seen that a resistance is provided,which is divided into sections connected with the contact-terminals 15to 19, and one end of this resistance is connected by the conductor 46with the contact-bar 13. The terminal 14 is connected by the conductor47 with one side 48 of the supply-circuit, and the terminal 19 isconnected by conductor 49, through the armature 50 of the motor, by

conductor 51 with the opposite main 52 of the supply-circuit. Theshunt-field winding 53 of the motor is connected by conductor 54 withthe contact-bar 13 and by conductors 55 and 51 with the opposite side 52of the supplycircuit. One terminal of the winding of the magnet 24 isconnected by conductor 56 with one side 52 of the supply-main, and theopposite terminal thereof is connected with the contact-button 44 byconductor 57.

In operation, assuming that it be olesired to start the motor, theswitch-arm 1 is closed to first close the circuit between the terminal14 and the contact 13. This closes the circuit to the motor, currentbeing traced from the supply-conductor 48 through conductor 47 toterminal 14, across the switch-arm 1 to contact-bar 13, by conductor 46through the resistance 45 to terminal 19, thence by conductor 49 throughthe armature 50 of the motor and by conductor 51 to the opposite side 52of the supply-mains. The circuit through the shunt-field being closed atthe same time through conductors 54 and 55 the motor will thus bestarted with all the resistance in circuit. In moving thearm 1 to theclosed position the oblique wall 41 of the lug 39 engages the under faceof the first rocking lug or dog 29 and moves the same in the positionshown in Fig. 6 in full lines. The second switch-arm 2 is now closed andas the dog 29 is in its raised position the latch 36 of the arm 2 willride over the lip 34 of the dog29 and will engage the vertical wallthereof and the switch-arm 2 will thus be held in a closed position. Themoving of the switch-arm 2 to its closed position cuts outa portion ofthe resistance 45 and the motor will increase its speed. The wall41 ofthe arm 2 will engage and lift the second rocking dog 30, so that whenthe arm 3 is closed the latch 36 thereof will be engaged and held by thelip 34 of the dog 30. In a similar manner each switch-arn'i when closedraises the next rocking dog to thereby permit the latch of the nextsucceeding switcharm to engage the lip of the corresponding dog. As eachof the switch-arms 2 to 6 is closed a corresponding coil of theresistance is short-circuited and the resistance through the armature isthus cut out step by step. When the last switch-arm has been closed,current passes from the switch-arm 1 to contact-bar 13, thence by theswitch-arm 6 to terminal 19, so that the intervening switcharms do nothave to carry current during the normal operation of the device. hen thelast switch-arm 6 is closed, the contact 43, carried by the arm 42,engages the contact 44 and circuit is closed through the winding of themagnet 24, this circuit being traced from the supply-main 48 throughconductor 47, terminal 14, switch-arm 1, contact-bar 13, switch-arm 6,the arm 42, carried by said switch arm, contact 44, by conductor 57,through the winding of the magnet 24 and by conductor 56 to the oppositeside 52 of the supply-circuit. In moving the arm 1 to a closed positionthe armature 25 is engaged by the rod 23 and moved against the pole ofthe retaining-magnet 24, which when the current is closed therethroughby the closing of the last arm 6 serves to maintain the switch-arm in aclosed position. If it be desired to cut in the resistance and open thecircuit through the motor, the retaining-magnet 24 may be deenerglzed 1nany suitable manner and the ing the same in a closed position.

arm 1 will be released and fly outward. In moving outward the firstrocking dog 29 is permitted to fall and the latch of the secondswitch-arm 2 is thus released and said switcharm likewise flies outward.The switch-arm 2. permits the second rocking dog to fall, therebyreleasing the third switch-arm, and in a similar manner each switch-armreleases the next succeeding switcharm until all of the same have beenreleased.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5 instead of having themagnet 24 for the purpose of retaining the first switch-arm in a closedposition it is arranged upon the opposite side of the panel 12 and holdsthe last switch-arm 6 in position. By this construction an additionallocking-dog 58 is provided and the first lever is provided with a catch36. The locking-dog 58 instead of being free to rotate upon the rod orshaft 28 is secured thereto by pins 59 and rotates therewith. The lastlever 6 is not provided with a locking-dog 36, but carries the rod 23,which engages the armature 25 of the magnet 24 and is held in a closedposition thereby. The arm 6 carries a lug 60, having an inclined face61, which engages under adog 62, mounted upon the-rod or shaft 28. Thisdog62 is secured upon the shaft 28 by means of the pin 63 and is therebyadapted to rotate therewith, whereby when the last lever is moved to aclosed position the inclined face 61 of the lug engages beneath the dog62 upon the rod or shaft 28 and raises the same, rotating the rod orshaft and with it the first locking-dog 58, moving the locking-dog upand into engagement with the catch 34, carried upon the first lever. Inthis way the first lever is locked in a closed position. The circuitarrangement, as illustrated in Fig. 10, for this construction isslightly modified from the circuit arrangement for the constructionshown in Fig. 1, and it will be noted that one terminal of the windingof the magnet 24 is connected by conductor 64 with the contactbar 13,the opposite terminal of the winding being connected by a conductorthrough the shunt fieldwinding of the motor with the opposite side ofthe supply-circuit. In the operation of this construction, assuming thatit is desired to start the motor, the operator with his left hand closesthe first switch, hold- Circuit is thus closed through conductor 47,terminal 14, switch-arm .1, contact-bar 13, conductor 46 through theresistance 45 to terminal 19 and by conductor 49 through the armature50, and thence by conductor 51 to the opposite side 52 of thesupply-circuit. Circuit is also closed through conductor 64, the windingof magnet 24 to the shunt field-coil 53, and by conductors 55 and 51back to the opposite side of the supply-circuit. Closing the firstswitch-arm moves the rocking dog 29 for the second lever in a positionto be engaged by the catch 36 thereof, and the operator may then movethis lever in a closed position with his right hand. The several leversare closed, as described With respect to the construction shown in Fig.1, until the last lever, which carries the rod 23, is closed. The rod.23 engages the armature 25 of the magnet 24 and moves the same againstthe pole of the retaining-magnet, whereby the retaining-magnet holds thearm in a closed position, the circuit for the retaining-magnethavingbeen previously closed by the closing of the first switch. When the lastarm is moved to a closed position, the inclined face 61 of the lug 60,carried by said arm, engages beneath the dog 62 and raises the same,rotating the shaft or rod 28, and by this movement raises thelocking-dog 58 of the first lever until the lip 34 thereof is engaged bythe latch 36, carried by the first switch-arm, thus locking said arm ina closed position. If it be desired to cut in the resistance and openthe circuit through the motor, the retainingmagnet 24 is deenergized inany suitable manner, and the arm 6 will be released and fly outward toan open position. When the arm 6 drops to an open position, it permitsthe dog 52 to drop down, permitting the shaft or rod 28 to rotate andallowing the locking-dog 58 to drop. This releases the catch 34, carriedby the lever 31 and permits the switch-arm 1 to likewise fly outward.The switch-arm 1 permits the second rocking dog 29 to fall, therebyreleasing the third switch-arm, and in a similar manner each switch-armreleases the next succeeding switch-arm until all of the arms have beenreleased. Any attempt to close one of the switch-arms out of its regularorder will be prevented, due to the fact that the Hat face 40 willengage the end of the locking-dog when in the lowered position,

and it is only when the dog has been raised in the proper position thatthe flat face 40 is permitted to pass beneath the end of thelocking-dogs. Moreover, unless the rocking dog is in its raised positionthe latch 36 will not engage the lip 34 between the dog. Furthermore,the locking-dog will be held in its raised position only when theimmediatelypreceding switch-arm has been closed. Furthermore, by thearrangement of the magnet it will be noted that the switch-arms will notremain in a closed position until the last switch-arm has been closed,thereby compelling a careless or ignorant operator to close all of theswitches when starting the motor and preventing the leaving of any ofthe starting resistance in circuit for any length of time, which mightoverheat and destroy the resistance of the starting-rheostat.

WVhile in Fig. 10 I have shown the magnet 24 connected in series withthe shunt fieldcoil 53 and in Fig. 11 I have shown it only connectedacross the line, it will be understood, of course, that changes in thiscircuit arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention as, for in- &

stance, in Fig. 10 the magnet may be connected in series with the shuntfield-coil or in Fig. 11 the magnet may be connected directly across theline. In event the magnet is connected in series with the shuntfield-coil, as shown in Fig. 10, or the circuit through said coil isbroken for any reason, the magnet will immediately become deenergizedand the switch-arm permitted to fly open, thereby opening the circuitthrough the armature ot' the motor. Other changes may be made in myinvention without departing from the spirit of the invention.

While in the accompanying claims I have referred to a plurality ofswitches arranged in series, it will be distinctly understood that thisterm is used with its mechanical meaning and not with respect to theelectrical connection of the switches. So far as the electrical circuitsare concerned the switches are arranged substantially in parallel, butwith respect to their mechanical arrangement they are arranged inseries, and it will be understood that this is the interpretation to beplaced upon this term in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is v 1. The combination with a plurality ofswitches arranged in a mechanical series, ofa retaining mechanism forholding said switches in a closed position, and means whereby saidretaining mechanism will be operative only when the last switch of theseries is closed.

2. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in a mechanicalseries, of electromagnetic retaining mechanism for holding the same in aclosed position, and means whereby said retaining mechanism will beoperative only when the last switch of the series is closed.

3. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in a mechanicalseries, of a magnet for holding said switches in a closed position, andmeans whereby said magnet will be operative only when the last switch ofthe series is closed.

4. The combination with a plurality of manual switches arranged in amechanical series, of a retaining mechanism for holding said switches ina closed position, and means whereby said retaining mechanism will beoperative only when the last switch of the series is closed.

5. The combination with a plurality of manual switches'arranged in amechanical series, of electromagnetic retaining mechanism for holdingthe same in a closed position, and means whereby said retainingmechanism will be operative only when the last switch of the series isclosed.

6. The combination with a plurality of manual switches, arranged in amechanical series, of a magnet for holding said switches in a closedposition, and means whereby said retaining mechanism will be operativeonly when the last switch of the series is closed.

7 The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in a mechanicalseries, of means for preventing the closure of the same except in adefinite order, a retaining mechanism for holding saidswitches in aclosed position, and means whereby said retaining mechanism will beoperative only when the last switch of the series is closed.

8. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in a mechanicalseries, of means for preventing the closure of the same except in adefinite order, electromagnetic retaining mechanism for holding saidswitches in a closed position, and means whereby said retainingmechanism will be operative only when the last switch of the series isclosed.

9. The combination with a plurality of switches, of means for retainingone of said switches in a closed position, a plurality of interlockingdevices for holding the remaining switches in a closed position, andmeans whereby said retaining means will be oper' tive only when the lastof said switches is closed.

10. The combination with a plurality of switches, of a retaining-magnetfor holding one of said switches in a closed position, a plurality ofinterlocking devices for holding the remaining switches in a closedposition, and means whereby said retaining-magnet will be operative onlywhen the last of said switches is closed.

11. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in amechanical series, of interlocking mechanism for preventing the closureof the switches except in a definite order, a retaining mechanism forholding the switches ina closed position, and means whereby saidretaining mechanism is operative only when the last switch of the seriesis closed.

12. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in amechanical series, of interlocking mechanism for preventing the closureof the switches except in a definite order, electromagnetic retainingmechanism for holding the switches in a closed position, and meanswhereby said retaining mechanism is operative only when the last switchof the series is closed.

13. The combination with a plurality of switches, of electromagneticretaining means for holding the same in a closed position, and meanswhereby said retaining means is operative only when the last switch isclosed.

14. The combination with a vertical baseboard, of a plurality of likelevers mounted in alinement upon one face thereof and adapted to move inplanes perpendicular to said face, means for preventing the closure ofthe same except in a definite order, a retaining means for holding saidswitches in a closed position, and means whereby said retaining means isoperative only when the last switch is closed.

15. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in amechanical series, of interlocking mechanism whereby each switchcontrols the next succeeding switch, an electromagnetic retaining devicefor the first switch of the series, and means whereby said retainingdevice is operative only when the last switch of the series is closed.

16. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in amechanical series, of interlocking mechanism, whereby each switchcontrols the next succeeding switch, a retaining-electromagne-t forholding the first switch of the series in a closed position, and meanswhereby said electromagnet is operative only when the last switch of theseries is closed.

17. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in amechanical series, of a retaining-magnet for holding the first switch ina closed position, interlocking devices controlled by said first switchfor retaining the succeeding switch in position, and means whereby saidretaining-magnet is operative only when the last switch of the series isclosed.

18. The combination with a plurality of switches,of a retaining-magnetfor holding the first switch in a closed position, a plurality ofinterlocking devices for holding the remaining switches in position, andmeans whereby said retaining-magnet is operative only when the last ofthe switches is closed.

19. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in amechanical series, of a retaining-magnet for holding the first switch inposition, means controlled by said first switch for holding theremaining switches in position, and means whereby said retainingmagnetis operative only when the last switch of the series is closed.

20. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in amechanical series, of a magnet for holding the same in a closedposition, and means carried by the last switch in the series for closingthe circuit through said magnet.

21. The combination with a plurality of switches arranged in amechanical series, of interlocking mechanism whereby each switchcontrols the next succeeding switch, a retaining-magnet for holding thefirst switch of the series in a closed position, and means carried bythelast switch for closing the circuit through said retaining-magnet.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo witnesses.

HENRY I-I. CUTLER.

Witnesses F. L. PRICE, F. R. BACON.

